Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for Pit returned 63 results.
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I SEE YOU IN THE OCEAN,
I SEE YOU IN THE SEA,
I SEE YOU IN THE BATHTUB,
OOPS } PARDON ME }
Submitter comment: ENTRY DATED 03181960 IN HER AUTOGRAPH BOOK.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE WOODS
Keyword(s): BATHTUB VERSE. ; INCREMENTS REPITION ; NUDITY ; RHYME: ABCB
James Callow Keyword(s): ITERATION
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Wisecracks, gags, silly stories, insults |
Date learned: 10-22-1971
AUTOGRAPH VERSE
HIGH UPON A MOUNTAIN
CARVED IN ROCK,
ARE THESE FOUR WORDS --
FOR GET ME NOT
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE
Keyword(s): EPITAPTH ; FRIENDSHIP ; SURPRISE ENDING
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Forget me not |
Date learned: 03-01-1972
LYRICAL VERSE DEATH
HERE LIES THE BODY OF SOLOMON PEASE.
UNDER THE DAISIES, UNDER THE TREES.
BUT PEASE ISN'T HERE, ONLY THE POD
PEASE SHELLED OUT AND WENT HOME TO GOD.
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): EPITAPH COUPLETS DEATH VEGETABLES-PEAS METAPHOR PUN-SLANG ; RHYME:AA
| Subject headings: | 730 Lyrical Verse |
Date learned: 04-02-1968
Entry filtered.
PAJAMA PARTY STORY
ONCE THERE WERE TWO GIRLS WHO DECIDED TO SPEND A WEEKEND AT A
COTTAGE WHICH BELONGED TO THE PARENTS OF ONE OF THE GIRLS. THIS
COTTAGE WAS NEAR AN INSANE ASYLUM. THE FIRST NIGHT THEY WERE
THERE, ONE OF THE GIRLS WENT TO BED EARLY, BUT THE OTHER DECIDED
TO STAY UP AND SIT IN THE ROCKING CHAIR.
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, THE FIRST GIRL WOKE UP AND THOUGHT SHE
HEARD COUNTING: FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY-TWO, FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY-THREE.
SHE WAS TOO SLEEPY TO THINK MUCH OF IT, SO SHE FELL BACK TO SLEEP
AGAIN SHE WOKE TO HEAR: EIGHT HUNDRED NINETY-SIX, EIGHT HUNDRED
NINETY-SEVEN. BUT AGAIN SHE FELL ASLEEP.
IN THE MORNING SHE WOKE UP AND THE COUNTING WAS STILL GOING ON.
SHE GOT OUT OF BED AND WENT IN THE OTHER ROOM TO FIND A MAN SITTING
IN THE ROCKING CHAIR, WITH THE OTHER GIRL'S HEAD IN HIS LAP. HE WAS
PULLING OUT HER HAIR AND COUNTING EACH STRAND. WHEN HE SAW THE FIRS
GIRL HE STARTED CHASING HER, CALLING HOW MANY HAIRS DO YOU HAVE ON
YOUR HEAD?
HOW MANY HAIRS DO YOU HAVE ON YOUR HEAD?
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
Keyword(s): MURDER, FEAR
James Callow Keyword(s): DECAPITATION ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Physically handicapped Deformed PROSE NARRATIVE -- Formula tale |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
PROVERB
IN WHOM WISDOM IS, IN HIM IS EVERYTHING; IN WHOM IT IS NOT, WHAT HAS
HE? HE WHO HAS ACQUIRED IT, WHAT DOES HE LACK? IN WHOM IT IS NOT,
WHAT HAS HE ACQUIRED?
Submitter comment: ORIGIN: THINKS FROM HER FATHER AS A SMALL GIRL.
Where learned: ILLINOIS ; PARK RIDGE
Keyword(s): WISDOM, CONTRAST, REPITITION
James Callow Keyword(s): PERIODIC SENTENCE ; RHETORICAL QUESTION
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
HOW TO REMOVE A FOREIGN OBJECT FROM YOUR EYE.
WHEN A FOREIGN OBJECT ENTERS YOUR EYE, PULL THE UPPER EYE LID
OF THE AFFLICTED EYE RAPIDLY AND REPEATEDLY. WHILE PULLING THE
EYE LID, SPIT CONTINUOUSLY. THIS PROCEDURE ALLOWS YOU TO SPIT
THE FOREIGN OBJECT FROM YOUR EYE.
Submitter comment:
AS A CHILD, THE INFORMANT BELIEVED THAT THIS CURE WAS EFFECTIVE.
NOW, BOTH THE INFORMANT AND I REGARD THIS CURE AS AN EXAMPLE OF
IMAGINATION.
Where learned: DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): SPITTLE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Method of Curing |
Date learned: CA00001916 ; 01-13-1980
Entry filtered.
THE MAN UNDER THE TROLLEYCAR
THERE IS A LITTLE MAN WITH A LONG STICK WITH A BIG SHARP BLADE, LIKE
A SYCTHE ON THE END OF IT. HE USED TO CUT OFF PEOPLE'S HEADS
WHEN THEY STUCK THEIR HEADS OUT OF THE WINDOW.
Submitter comment:
THE INFORMANT'S MOTHER USED TO TELL HIM THIS STORY EVERY TIME HE
TRIED TO STICK HIS HEAD OUT OF THE MOVING TROLLEY CAR WINDOW. THE
INFORMANT SAYS HE USED TO TRY TO LOOK FOR THE LITTLE MAN WHEN THEY
GOT OFF THE TROLLEY CAR BUT HIS MOTHER SAID HE'D (THE LITTLE MAN)
TRY TO PULL ANYONE WHO BENT OVER TO LOOK AT HIM INTO THE WHEEL WITH
HIM.
THE INFORMANT THINKS HE WAS FIRST TOLD THE STORY AT AGE 2 OR 3 AND
BELIEVED IT FOR 6 OR 7 YEARS.
TOLD SEVERAL TIMES, THE LAST TIME BEING JAN. 25, 1967
AT THE WOJACK HOUSE IN DETROIT
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): FEAR
James Callow Keyword(s): DECAPITATION
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Physically handicapped Deformed |
Date learned: 01-25-1967
EXPECTANT MOTHER
WHEN I WAS ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS PREGNANT WITH MY FIRST CHILD,
I WENT SHOPPING WITH MY MOTHER-IN-LAW IN A VILLAGE IN LEBANON.
WE CAME ACROSS A VENDOR WITH A MONKEY. WHEN I NOTICED THE MONKEY,
I TOLD MY MOTHER-IN-LAW TO LOOK AT HOW CUTE IT WAS. SHE WAS
HORRIFIED! "SPIT, SHE YELLED, "QUICK, SPIT!
WHEN I ASKED WHY, SHE SAID IF I DIDN'T SPIT, THE BABY WOULD COME
OUT LOOKING LIKE A MONKEY.
"THAT'S A RIDICULLOUS SUPERSTITION," I TOLD HER, "I DON'T BELIEVE
IT AND I WON'T SPIT."
WHEN SHE TURNED HER BACK I QUICKLY SPIT -- JUST IN CASE.
James Callow Keyword(s): PRAISE ; SPITTLE
| Subject headings: | Favorites CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth BELIEF -- Mammal |
Date learned: 11-00-1982
Entry filtered.
"ZE SKUNK, ZE SKUNK"
I HUNT ZE BEAR; I HUNT ZE WOLF;
SOMETIMES I HUNT ZE RAT.
LAS' WEEK I TAKE MY AX
AN' HUNT ZE SKUNK POLECAT.
MY FRIEND JACQUES SAYS HE'S VER' GOOD FUR,
AN' SOMETIME GOOD TO EAT.
I TELL MY WIFE I GET FUR COAT
AN' SAME TIME GET SOME MEAT.
I WALK TWO, T'REE, FOUR MILE.
I FEEL WAN AWFUL SMELL.
I SAY DIS SKUNK HE'S UP AND DIE,
AN' FUR COAT GONE TO HELL.
BIMEBY I SEE ZE SKUNK,
CLOSE UP BY ONE BEEG TREE.
I SNEAK UP VERA CLOSE BEHIN',
AN' T'INK HE'S NO SEE ME.
BIMEBY I'M CLOSE UP BY ZE SKUNK.
I RAISE MY AX UP HIGH,
WHEN ... UP, KERPLUNK, DIS DAM', DAM' SKUNK
SHE'S T'ROW SOMET'ING IN MY EYE.
SACRE BLU! I T'INK I'M BLIN'.
GEE WHIZ! I CAN NO SEE!
I WALK ROUN' AN' ROUN' AN' ROUN'
AN' BUMP IN DAM' OL' TREE!
BIMEBY I DROP MY AX
AN' LIGHT OUT FOR DA SHACK.
I T'INK A MILLION SKUNKS
DEY CLIM' UPON MY BACK.
MY WIFE SHE MEET ME AT DA DOOR.
SHE SEEK ON ME DA DOG.
SHE SAY."YOU NO SLEEP HERE TONIGHT.
YOU GO SLEEP MIT DA HOG."
I TRY TO CLIM' IN HOG PEN.
GEE WHIZ! NOW WHAT YOU TINK?
DAT DAM' O' HOG NOT STAN' FOR DAT
ON 'COUNT OF AWFUL STINK.
NO MORE I'M HUNT ZE SKUNK POLECAT
TO GET HIS FUR OR MEAT.
FOR IF HIS BREATH HE SMELL SO BAD,
GEE WHIZ WHAT EEFF HE SPEET.
Submitter comment:
THIS POEM WAS USUALLY RECITED AROUND A FIRE ON
SATURDAY NIGHTS AT THE LOGGING CAMP.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SAGINAW
Keyword(s): LOGGING POEMS
James Callow Keyword(s): FRENCH DIALECT ; SPIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: 03-04-1990
It is the custom in Christian families to put
one lighted candle in the window on Christmas Eve
to symbolize that Mary and Joseph would be welcome
in your home if they were searching
for a place to stay like they were so long ago.
Where learned: NEW JERSEY ; Penns Grove
James Callow Keyword(s): HOSPITALITY
Date learned: 00001980S
MNEMONIC DEVICE
JOHN STEPHEN ULRICH NEEDS EVERY VITAMIN, MINERAL, PLUS MEAT
Submitter comment:
THIS SENTENCE HELPS IN REMEMBERING THE PLANETS IN THE ORDER OF
LARGEST TO SMALLEST
INFORMANT SAID HE LEARNED THE DEVICE FROM SOME OF HIS FRIENDS AT
SCHOOL. HE DIDN'T REMEMBER WHO TOLD IT TO HIM BUT SAID IT WAS USED
BY ALMOST EVERYONE IN HIS CLASS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; MADISON HEIGHTS
James Callow Keyword(s): Earth ; JUPITER ; MARS ; MERCURY ; NEPTUNE ; PLANETS ; PLUTO ; SATURN ; URANUS ; VENUS
| Subject headings: | Favorites ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- MNEM |
Date learned: 10-00-1973
IF YOU WERE GETTING HUNT AND SOMETHING WENT WRONG WHILE THE
ROPE WAS AROUND YOUR NECK AND YOU DIDN'T GET HUNG, THEY
WOULDN'T TRY IT AGAIN, BECAUSE YOU WOULD DIE A 1000 TIMES
WHILE THE ROPE WAS AROUND YOUR NECK.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; CLASS ASSIGNMENT ; PEABODY COLLEGE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): CAPITAL PUNISHMENT PENAL CODE PRISON CRIMINAL
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 03-07-1969
FOLK SAYING
AFTER THREE DAYS, FISH AND COMPANY SMELL.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; RED BOILING SPRINGS
Keyword(s): HOSPITALITY UNWELCOME GUESTS
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Date learned: 02-19-1972
AGRICULTURAL PROVERB
MAKE HAY WHILE THE SUN SHINES.
MAKE LOVE WHILE THE MOON SHINES.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS
James Callow Keyword(s): ADVICE ; INCREMENTAL REPITITION ; ITERATION
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Date learned: 04-09-1971
A SMILE OF WELCOME IS LIKE A BEACON LIGHTING THE
DARKEST NIGHT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN
Keyword(s): HOSPITALITY KINDNESS
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- V700 |
Date learned: 03-00-1968
IT SEEMS THAT ONE NIGHT RAY ROWLAND, MY ROOMMATE AND A
HIGH SCHOOL BUDDY OF HIS WERE IN THE ROOM. SOMETHING
HAD HAPPENED ABOUT WHICH THEY FELT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF
PRIDE, I GUESS. THE NEXT THING I SAW WAS RAY AND JERRY
APPROACHING EACH OTHER AS IF TO SHAKE HANDS. BUT WHAT
HAPPENED WAS DEFINITELY A HANDSHAKE IN THE NORMAL SENSE
OF THE WORD, ANYHOW. WITH THEIR RIGHT HANDS, THEY
TOUCHED THUMBS IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE TOPS OF THE HANDS
FACED EACH OTHER. THEN THE HANDS SWUNG AROUND AND THE
BOTTOMS TOUCHED, THUMBS STILL TOUCHING. UPON THE
RELEASE OF THE THUMBS, THE HANDS SLIPPED OFF EACH OTHER.
NEXT CAME A SNAP OF THE FINGERS, FOLLOWED BY A SLAP OF THE
RIGHT LEG. THE HAND THEN CAME UP TO THE MOUTH FOR A
SMALL AMOUNT OF MOISTURE ON THE MIDDLE FINGER TO BE
APPLIED TO THE SIDE OF THE HEAD ABOVE THE EAR.
I THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY. I LAUGHED.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; DORMS
James Callow Keyword(s): SPITTLE
| Subject headings: | 602 Body Parts SPEECH -- Greetings Salutations |
Date learned: 00-00-1967
Yellow Ribbon
This is a story about John and Jane. They lived next door to each other, went to school together, and loved each other very much. John was a normal happy boy and Jane was a happy girl who always wore a yellow ribbon . Jane kept answering "perhaps some day I'll tell you."
Time went by, and John and Jane were engaged. Jane told John she would tell him about the ribbon on their wedding day. On their wedding day, they forgot about the yellow ribbon. Next day, however, John asked why she wore it again. She replied that they were happily married so what difference does it make?
Time went by and it was their golden anniversary and John asked about the ribbon again. Jane asked him to wait a little longer since he has waited so long already. Finally, Jane became very ill and was dying. John asked again to please tell him why she wore the yellow ribbon.
"All right," said Jane. "You can untie it." So John untied the yellow ribbon and Jane's head fell off.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original Boggs Numbers [B600 B642] are crossed outand B667.1 is substituted.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; Myself
Keyword(s): Anniversary ; BEHEADING ; BODY ; CURIOSITY ; Curious ; DEATH ; DECAPITATION ; DYING ; HEAD ; LOVE ; MARRIAGE ; Neighbors ; SECRET ; Yellow Ribbon
| Subject headings: | 6677 Formula Tale |